The Labour Party in Abia State has dismissed claims that Governor Alex Otti is supporting President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The party was reacting to a recent statement by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, who said all five governors of the South-East region—regardless of political affiliation—are backing President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
Speaking in Umuahia on Thursday, the Abia State Chairman of the Labour Party, Mazi Emmanuel Otti, said the minister’s statement was speculative and not based on any confirmed position by Governor Otti.
“No, he (Umahi) didn’t say Governor Otti and the other South-East governors are supporting the President’s re-election in 2027. What he said was, ‘they will.’
Umahi was simply making a postulation,” Otti stated.
He stressed that the governor had not communicated any such stance to the party.
“The governor has not told us anything like that. So for now, it remains speculation. We didn’t hear it from the governor—Umahi merely postulated.”
Addressing Governor Otti’s invitation to President Tinubu to inaugurate the Port Harcourt Road in Aba, the LP Chairman said the invitation was purely official.
“That is the official function of the President. He is the President of the country, and commissioning projects is part of his statutory role.
“Abia is part of Nigeria, and therefore it is within the President’s jurisdiction to visit and perform such functions.”
On whether the governor or the President may make any political declarations during the visit, Mazi Otti said, “I wouldn’t preempt either the governor or the President. Let’s wait and see what they say when the President visits.”
Earlier in the week, Umahi had made the controversial comment during the South-East Zonal Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party) held in Enugu, where he claimed that all South-East governors are already supporting President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, regardless of party differences.
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